February 2016
Price Situation in the Cordillera
Consumer Price Index (CPI)
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is the general measure of the change in the average
retail prices of a market basket or collection of goods and services commonly
purchased by the average Filipino household.
The Consumer Price Index of CAR in February, 2016 was 140.9, higher by 2.6 index
points from last year’s 138.3.
Generally, CPI increases in all the provinces reflecting the increases in the average
prices of goods and services.
Table 1. Consumer Price Index by Province, CAR:
February 2015 and February 2016
(2006=100)
Province
February
Index Point
Change
2015
2016
CAR
138.3
140.9
2.6
Abra
130.1
133.4
3.3
Apayao
129.8
132.3
2.5
Benguet
141.1
142.2
1.1
Ifugao
141.8
145.8
4.0
Kalinga
132.9
136.6
3.7
Mt. Province
141.7
149.8
8.1
Among the provinces, Mt. Province posted the highest CPI at 149.8 followed by Ifugao
at 145.8 and Benguet at 142.2. On the other hand, Apayao posted the lowest at 132.3.
In terms of index point change, Mt. Province reported the highest at 8.1 while Benguet
had the least at 1.1.
PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY - CORDILLERA ADMINISTRATIVE REGION
Volume XVI No.II
2
CPI by Commodity Groups
Among the commodity groups, alcoholic beverages and tobacco recorded the highest
CPI with 197.2 in the region with Apayao contributing the highest with 217.1 followed
by Abra and Kalinga at 202.9 and 201.3, respectively.
Education had the second highest CPI at 159.9 index points. Among the provinces,
Mt. Province had the highest with 228.8.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages came next with Benguet having the most at 159.0
followed by Mt. Province at 158.4.
Communication had the lowest CPI among the commodity groups in the region with
Abra posting the highest index at 111.4 while Apayao had the lowest at 77.7.
Across provinces, Apayao posted the lowest index for all items.
Table 2. Consumer Price Index by Commodity Group and by Province, CAR:
February 2016
(2006=100)
Commodity Group
Province
CAR
Abra
Apayao
Benguet
Ifugao
Kalinga
Mt.
Province
All Items
140.9
133.4
132.3
142.2
145.8
136.6
149.8
Food and Non-Alcoholic
Beverages
154.2
143.0
150.5
159.0
154.1
147.1
158.4
Alcoholic Beverages &
Tobacco
197.2
202.9
217.1
199.3
178.1
201.3
179.4
Clothing and Footwear
130.5
143.7
116.9
125.3
146.1
122.1
145.4
Housing, Water, Electricity,
Gas and Other Fuels
130.3
113.8
102.3
141.5
136.6
108.7
129.1
Furnishing, Household
Equipment and Routine
Maintenance of the House
129.0
122.0
114.1
133.6
117.6
135.5
135
Health
130.9
122.2
110.5
137.3
114.3
125.6
132.8
Transport
128.3
147.5
113.2
126.1
130.6
141.9
119.4
Communication
83.1
111.4
77.7
79.8
101.0
78.7
87.3
Recreation and Culture
108.1
108.2
116.0
105.3
105.9
114.6
112.5
Education
159.9
146.0
140.9
146.9
170.7
164.6
228.8
Restaurants
and Miscellaneous Goods
and Services
129.5
119.4
133.2
124.9
148.0
133.4
150.1
3
By index point change, education recorded the highest change at 12.5 points. This
was followed by alcoholic beverages and tobacco and food and non-alcoholic
beverages at 10.7 and 3.4 points, respectively.
The rest of the commodity groups reported a minimal annual increase in their index
points. On the other hand, transport now had a negative percent change.
Note:
1
includes Household Equipment and Routine Maintenance of the House
2
includes Miscellaneous Goods and Services
Inflation Rate
The overall change in prices of goods and services in February 2016 in CAR was a
decrease of 1.9 percent, lower by 0.3 percentage points from February 2015.
Mt. Province posted the highest inflation with 5.7 percent increased brought about by
increases in education followed by Kalinga and Ifugao with both 2.8 percent.
Compared last year, the rates of price increases slowed down in Apayao, and
Benguet.
Figure 1. Year-on-Year Consumer Price Index by Commodity Group,
CAR: February 2015 and February 2016
(2006=100)
138.3
150.8
186.5
128.2
130.0
127.4
129.2
129.0
83.1
107.2
147.4
126.4
140.9
154.2
197.2
130.5
130.3
129.0
130.9
128.3
83.1
108.1
159.9
129.5
0
50
100
150
200
250
All Items
Food & Non-
Alcoholic Beverages
Alcoholic Beverages
& Tobacco
Clothing &
Footwear
Housing,
Water,Elec., Gas &
Other Fuels
Furnishings1
Health
Transport
Communication
Recreation and
Culture
Education
Restaurant2
February, 2015 February, 2016
2.6
2.3
1.7
-0.7
0.0
0.9
12.5
3.1
0.3
1.6
3.4
10.7
4
By Commodity Group, Month-on-Month
By commodity, the year-on-year growth of the heavily-weighted food and non-
alcoholic beverages index in the Cordillera accelerated to 2.3 percent compared to
the previous month.
Inflation in education remained the highest in the region with 8.5 percent. Followed by
alcoholic beverages and tobacco with 5.7 percent.
For housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels that post to had a negative annual
rate, accelerated to 0.2 percent. While, the transport index dropped to -0.5 percent.
Table 3. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates by Commodity Groups,
CAR: February 2016 and January 2016 (2006 = 100)
Commodity Group
Inflation Rates
February
January
All Items
1.9
1.7
Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages
2.3
2.2
Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco
5.7
4.5
Clothing and Footwear
1.8
1.7
Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels
0.2
-0.2
Furnishing, Household Equipment
& Routine Maintenance of the House
1.3
1.2
Health
1.3
1.0
Transport
-0.5
0.5
Communication
0.0
0.0
Recreation and Culture
0.8
0.7
Education
8.5
8.5
Restaurants and Miscellaneous Goods and Services
2.5
2.1
Figure 2. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates by Province, CAR:
February 2015 and February 2016
(2006=100)
2.2
0.4
2.7
3.4
0.9
0.1
1.3
1.9
2.5
1.9
0.8
2.8 2.8
5.7
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
CAR Abra Apayao Benguet Ifugao Kalinga Mt.
Province
February, 2015 February, 2016
5
By Food Items, Year-on-Year
Generally, for the year-on-year inflation rates modestly accelerated for all food items.
Vegetables and Bread and Cereals (Corn) persisted to have the highest price
increases in February 2016 with 8.0 and 7.6 percent, respectively.
The lower prices of meat contributed to continued negative annual inflation rates of
the commodity.
Table 4. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates of Selected Food Items,
CAR: February and January 2016 and 2015
(2006 = 100)
*Includes flour, cereal preparation, bread, pasta and other bakery products
Purchasing Power of the Peso (PPP)
The value of the peso in CAR dropped to 71 centavos from last year’s 72 centavos.
Meaning, that market value of goods and services worth 71 centavos in February,
2006 were bought at one peso in February 2016.
Compared to February 2015, the PPP of all the provinces decreased.
Apayao had the highest peso value at 76 centavos followed by Abra at 75 centavos
and Kalinga at 73 centavos. Meanwhile, Mt. Province had the lowest peso value at 66
centavos.
Food Items
Inflation Rates
Feb. 2016
Jan. 2015
Feb. 2016
Jan. 2015
Current
Previous
Bread and Cereals
152.8
152.4
151.0
151.2
1.2
0.8
Rice
149.1
148.6
146.8
147.1
1.6
1.0
Corn
169.1
168.0
157.2
157.4
7.6
6.7
Other Cereals*
164.8
165.1
165.1
165.2
-0.2
-0.1
Meat
133.6
133.0
134.3
134.8
-0.5
-1.3
Fish
167.1
167.9
162.5
162.4
2.8
3.4
Milk, Cheese and Eggs
136.6
136.4
133.5
133.4
2.3
2.2
Oils and Fats
179.9
180.5
178.1
177.6
1.0
1.6
Fruits
199.3
205.1
190.0
188.2
4.9
9.0
Vegetables
175.5
181.5
162.5
169.6
8.0
7.0
Sugar, Jam, Honey,
Chocolate &
Confectionery
136.2
135.4
133.2
133.2
2.3
1.7
Food Products, N.E.C.
173.3
174.3
170.3
173.1
1.8
0.7
6
Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a general measure of the change in the average retail prices of a market basket
or collection of goods and services commonly purchased by the average Filipino household.
Inflation Rate (IR) is the rate of change in the average price level between two periods (year-on year/month-on-
month as measured by the CPI).
Purchasing Power of the Peso (PPP) measures how much the peso in the reference year is worth in another
year.
Base Year (BY) is the reference point of the index number series, at which the index number is set to zero.
Market Basket (MB) is a sample of goods and services used to represent all goods and services produced or
bought.
For more information, please contact:
Mail: PSA - CAR, Regional Office
141 Abanao Extension, Baguio City
Tel. Nos.: (074) 442-7449
Telefax No.: (074) 443-7763
Email: socd_psacar@yahoo.com
psacordillera@yahoo.com.ph
Technical Notes
Figure 3. Purchasing Power of the Peso by Province, CAR:
February 2015 and February 2016
(2006=100)
0.72
0.77 0.77
0.71 0.71
0.75
0.71
0.71
0.75
0.76
0.70
0.69
0.73
0.67
0.62
0.64
0.66
0.68
0.7
0.72
0.74
0.76
0.78
CAR Abra Apayao Benguet Ifugao Kalinga Mt.
Province
February, 2015 February, 2016